Court Forms

Adult Adoption | Criminal | Grandparent Visitation | Miscellaneous | Stepparent Adoption | Probate

All forms below are downloadable in Word and PDF format. The text of the documents in each format is different. The PDF formats are intended to be printed out and then filled in by hand. The Word versions are designed to be modified by the user. When you open the Word version of the document, the portions of the text that are in brackets [] and capitalized should be deleted and text matching the details of your situation should be inserted in their place. Please also note that these forms are primarily supplemental for many court processes and additional forms may be needed to complete these legal procedures.

Adult Adoption

For a step-by-step guide to adult adoption, please visit the Sacramento Public Law Library’s guide to the process. The forms listed here should be sufficient to complete the process.

Petition for Approval of Adult Adoption Agreement Word | PDF

Proposed Order of Adoption Word | PDF

Adult Adoption Agreement Word | PDF

Consent of Spouse of Adopted Person Word | PDF

Consent of Spouse of Adopting Parent Word | PDF

Criminal

Ex Parte Application to Dismiss Non-Felony Traffic Citations Word | PDF
Vehicle Code section 41500 prohibits the prosecution of an non-felony motor vehicle offense which is pending against a defendant at the time of his or her commitment to the Department of Corrections of the California Youth Authority. Complete the Application completely and for the Order (on the third page of the document) complete just your name, address, telephone number, your name as the defendant and the case number. If the judge approves your request, he or she will sign this form at the end.

Grandparent Visitation

Petition for Grandparent Visitation (parent deceased) Word | PDF
This petition for grandparent visitation is to be used when the parent who is the child of the grandparents is deceased. It should be accompanied by a Summons (FL-210) and a UCCJEA Declaration (FL-105). The Petition and Summons should be served on the surviving parent, and all documents should be filed with the Family Court Clerk. For additional online information on Grandparent Visitation, please contact the reference librarian.

Petition for Grandparent Visitation (both parents alive) Word | PDF
This Petition for Grandparent Visitation should be used if both parents are still alive. If the parents are still married, one of the following conditions must be true: the parents are living separately on a permanent or indefinite basis; one of the parents has been absent for more than one month without the other spouse knowing the whereabouts of the absent spouse; one of the parents joins in the petition with the grandparents; or the child is not residing with either parent. This petition should be accompanied by a Summons (FL-210) and a UCCJEA Declaration (FL-105). The Petition and the Summons should be served on each of the parents, any stepparent and any person who has custody of the child, by personal service. For additional online information on Grandparent Visitation, please contact the reference librarian.

Miscellaneous

Application and Order Dispensing with Notice Word | PDF
This document is used if the petitioner is unable to locate a person who is required to be served and asks the court to waive the notice requirement. This application should be accompanied by a Declaration of Due Diligence.

Declaration of Due Diligence Word | PDF
This document accompanies the Application and Order Dispensing with Notice and informs the court of the petitioners attempts to locate a person who must be served. Please note that significant efforts to locate someone should be made and documented or the court could postpone your case until more effort has been made or the person is located.

Pleading Paper Word | PDF
Directions for using Pleading Paper using MS Word
Directions for using Pleading Paper using PDF
Pleading Paper is the format that is used to submit documents to the court. Again, please note that the Word and PDF versions are different. If you are planning on typing your document directly on your computer, use the Word version and follow the directions on the document Directions for Using Pleading Paper-Word. If you are printing the pleading paper and planning to handwrite it later, use the PDF version and follow the directions on the document Directions for Using Pleading Paper-Handwritten. BE SURE to follow the directions carefully as the court may reject your document if it is not formatted properly.

Petition for Inspection of Court Records of Adoption Proceeding Word | PDF
This petition can be used by an adopted person to gain access to the sealed court records of an adoption proceeding.

Witness List Word | PDF
This document must be filed with the court and served on your spouse prior to any hearing in a divorce case in which you plan to testify or present witnesses. You must identify the witnesses (including yourself) that you anticipate will testify, a brief summary of what they will say, and how long you think they will take.

Stepparent Adoption

Please note that additional forms are required to complete the stepparent adoption process. The forms on this page are used in some situations during the process, but may not be necessary in all adoptions. For a more complete guide to stepparent adoptions, visit the site for the Judicial Council of California.

Citation to Appear Word | PDF
This document is used to order the absent parent to appear at the adoption hearing. You must prepare the Citation, and then have it signed by the Clerk of the Family Law Court. You must then serve a copy of the citation on the absent parent and file the original and the proof of service with the court.

Notice to Alleged Father Word | PDF
This notice advises a person who may or may not be the father of the child (if paternity was never legally established) that he is or could be the father of the child you are trying to adopt and that he has 30 days to file a parentage action. If the alleged father does agree to the adoption, he will also need to complete a Waiver of Notice of Further Adoption Planning, a form from the Department of Social Services. If the absent parent sends the form back to indicate that he waives notice, you can ask the court to terminate his rights without waiting 30 days. If he does not send back the document, you must wait 30 days from the date he is served, then check to see if he filed a paternity action. If not, his rights can be terminated without further notice.

Petition to Dispense with Notice and Terminate Parental Rights of Alleged Father Word | PDF
This petition asks the court to terminate the parental rights of the alleged father (if the child was born out of wedlock and legal paternity has not been established) without serving notice on him. It can only be used if efforts have been made to locate the alleged father and should be accompanied by a Declaration of Due Diligence and the Order below.

Order Dispensing with Notice and Terminating Parental Rights of the Alleged Father Word | PDF
This Order should accompany the Petition above and grants the termination of parental rights of an alleged father who you were not able to locate. The Judge will sign this document if he or she approves the Petition.

Petition to Terminate Parental Rights of the Alleged Father Word | PDF
This Petition asks the court to terminate the parental rights of an alleged father (if the child was born out of wedlock and legal paternity has not been established) in cases where you were able to properly serve the alleged father with notice and he either waived his rights or failed to file an action to establish paternity. If the Petition is granted, the adoption can continue with only the permission of the mother. You should attach to this petition a copy of the Notice, the Proof of Service of the Notice, the Order and, when applicable, the signed waiver from the alleged father.

Order Terminating Parental Rights of the Alleged Father Word | PDF
This Order should accompany the Petition above and grants the termination of parental rights of an alleged father who you properly served. The Judge will sign this document if he or she approves the Petition.

Petition to Declare Minor Free from Parental Custody and Control Word | PDF
This Petition is used to inform the court that you are planning to adopt a child whose mother has custody and with whom the father has not had contact or supported in over a year. This document should be used in cases in which the identity of the father has been legally established.

Order Declaring Minor Free from Parental Custody and Control Word | PDF
This Order should accompany the Petition above and grants the termination of parental rights of a legally established father. The Judge will sign this document if he or she approves the Petition.

Notice of Hearing Word | PDF
This document is used to alert the relatives of an absent parent that there will be a hearing to terminate the parental rights of an absent parent. It is only to be used if the absent parent cannot be located and if the abandonment petition is granted, the relatives will not have the opportunity to contest the adoption. The following relatives of the adopted person should be notified: grandparents, aunts and uncles, adult brothers and sisters and adult first cousins. Service of this notice must be made at least 10 days before the abandonment hearing and Proofs of Service must be filed with the court. If you are unable to locate any of the relatives, you should submit a Declaration of Due Diligence.

Probate

Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property Under California Probate Code Sections 13100-13106
Word | PDF
To use this form, the gross value of the decedent’s assets must not be more than $100,000 and no probate proceedings may be conducted for the estate. You may use one affidavit to transfer several assets. If more than one person is entitled to inherit a particular asset, all beneficiaries must sign one affidavit. DO NOT sign the affidavit until you are in the presence of the notary who will verify your identity and signature. Also be aware that anyone who falsifies information or uses this affidavit fraudulently is liable to the rightful owner of the property in an amount three times the value of the property. For more information on this affidavit, please read chapter 9 in the book How to Probate an Estate in California, available in the Nolo Legal Database.

Objection to Guardianship Word | PDF
This form is to be used by any person who wishes to object to the appointment of a guardian in a probate court proceeding.

Guardianship Petition for Visitation Word | PDF
This form is to be used by a parent of a child who has had a guardian appointed to request court ordered visitation. Once filed with the probate court, a copy of the Petition should be served on the guardian using a Proof of Service by Mail form.